Lesson for my son

[Lobo'74]

I was out at the local hardware store yesterday and realized that although my truck came with an extra fan/alternator belt and an extra power steering belt that if one broke on me away from home I was SOL because I had no tools in the truck. A $5 tool box and a $15 set of tools (pliers, channel locks, ratchet screwdriver with multiple bits) and a visit to my home tool box to throw in an adjustible wrench and I was set. Fits nicely in the passenger side cab corner.

My 16 year old and I were out on the way to the county landfill today when the fan/alt belt broke. Engine went from 200 degrees to 250 by the time I could pull over. At least it didn't boil over. Got the new belt on (had to use the lug wrench end as a pry bar on the alternator) and was back on the road in 10 to 15 minutes. Out in the middle of NOWHERE had two fellas stop to ask if I needed tools/help...then they stood around and talked trucks to me till I was done. Back on the road at speed, back down to 190-200 range almost immediately.

My son was impressed that I fixed it (this generation hasn't grown up on engines you CAN work on) but was REALLY impressed that I thought of the tools and got them yesterday for the failure today.

Ah, an Andy Griffith moment in a Homer Simpson world.

Try to keep cool y'all.....

[Alexis]

good deal, there was an article in one of the hotrod mags about what to buy under 50 bucks . They listed a cheapo set of tools for the car can be more then a cheapo set of tool after it saves you.

[Carl71]

Thats really neat, I tell my dad all the time I wish he would have taught me more. He always told me I would have a better job and could afford to have someone else to work on it. I joke with him all the time about the cost of doing it now adays. Hes helping work on my truck He is 77

[Tx Firefighter]

Guys, on a heavier note, enjoy your dad while he's here.

Don't waste a day with him. Mine's been gone 2 yrs 9 months and 3 days, and I miss him every day.

Pick up the phone and call your dad right now if you can.

[jakobs71chevy]

well i had to respond to this post b/c it really is true. my dad took the time to teach me alot of wonderful things about cars. actually how chevys are the best!!! so now i am taking the time to teach my 4 year old son what its really like to have fun. he wants to work on "his" truck everyday. now he wants me to teach him to weld. just goes to show that it never hurts to take time to teach.
project may take longer but lessons learned last forever.im new here so hopefully we'll get some work in progress pics on our project!!

[Ackattack]

I got a set of tools that comes in a plastic case that I just keep in the truck, rather than loading my small tool box up for each trip.

My dad got me into vehicles. He had a 69 SWB when I was in middle school. When the time came for me to get a vehicle of my own I wanted a pickup like his. He told me no, that it would cost too much to keep running and I needed something that got better gas mileage. I got a 4 cylinder mustang (YUCK). I had it for about a year and a half, until I sold it to get my 72. Now I've had it for over 6 years and I'm still sinking money into it. He was right that it is expensive, but I still love my truck!

[yellowgmc]

i carry so many tools in my truck that i need to go to it to find tools to finish jobs in my house. at one point i even had a sawzall and a grinder!

[67sub]

I,M NEW AROUND HERE BUT I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THIS. MY DAD TAUGHT ME TO ALWAYS CARRY TOOLS AND TO WORK ON OUR OWN CARS, NOW I'M GETTING THE CHANCE TO PASS IT ON TO MY 6 YEAR OLD. HE IS AMAZED THAT I KNOW HOW TO BUILD AN ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION BUT HE IS LEARNING. LABOR DAY WEEKEND WE ARE PULLING THE I-6 AND 4SPD. AND DROPPING IN A BUILT 350 WITH A TH400 HE CAN'T WAIT AND NEITHER CAN I.

[oldsub86]

A long, long time ago in a place far away etc... seems like that anyway since it must have been about 1973, I had a 67 Chevy stepside pickup. My young wife and I were in a town about 50 miles from home and blew a rad hose on the truck. I went to a parts store and bought myself a hose and a screwdriver. Then we drove accoss town with the truck getting warmer by the block. We stopped at a big grocery store and my wife went in to get a load of groceries. I told her to buy a 2 quart plastic pitcher as well. While she shopped, I changed out the hose. Then when she came back with the pitcher, I used it to get water from the lake to fill the rad. The grocery store is right on a lake and actually has docks so people can come in by boat to shop. Got us home without having to hire someone to repair the truck. Changed out a couple of other hoses and then refilled with anti-freeze a few days later.

[Tx Firefighter]

67sub, I'd like to welcome you to this board.

I see you live in Hurst. I work in Hurst. You might have seen my "work truck" around town.

[67cst]

just got off the phone with my dad, talk to him everyday pretty much

[SWINGSAX68]

I would call my dad but hes at work, and they get mad when I call over there.....hes the only parent I got left, I appreciate him a lot......and at my age of 23, I've taught him a few things as well, but It can't compare to his life and his experiences. He means so much to me now more than ever, he's always there when I don't have the cash for a part, he knows the right guys to call when I can't figure it out, and when I do figure it out, he's there to tell me how proud he is that I did it myself. I am in tears as I type, cause I love him so much, and because I miss my mom, and her wonderful cooking when me and dad were ready to come in from messing with my truck.
Thanks guys...
I needed this, didn't expect it, but I did need it. Love your folks..or whoever has guided you, cause we would be nothing if it wasn't for those special people.
-Roger

[palallin]

Excellent advice.

I can't: Dad died last June.

[padreisla]

My dad died 3 years ago this september. He was my stepdad who adopted me at the age of 5. He was 100% paralyzed from a drunk Army/AirCorp Pilot who started up engine on the plane when my dad was working on it. He was really the only dad I knew. I remember him telling me of times when he and his dad would take apart the model "A or T" in the garage. I never had the opportunity for him to help either me or my brother(He's a Ford Guy) work on our cars. But he was always there to watch every football game or answer every one of our stupid questions. He instilled respect and honor in all five kids. We never talked back to him because that was how it was back then. It has been almost 3 years now and there is not a day that goes by that I do not miss him. I know that he is up there watching over me. I am going to have to agree that if you dad or mom is still alive. Call them, visit them or write them a letter. You can never take those back and they will remember it and you will have those memories to carry you thru the days. My son is 14 and the 67 that we are building will be his when he turns 16. It is one of my most joyful times when we are working on it or just riding around in it.


67 Chevy C20
402 BB
THD 400


Our latest projects:
http://www.fl-tagalong-trailers.com

[GMC69]

Well the funny thing is that I seem to know more than my Dad about this kind of stuff. I must have got my mechanical sense from my grnadfather, ( not his father either, my mothers father). I can remember when I was a kid he tried to assemble stuff and used to get frustrated then I would come along and 5 mins later it was done, I used to love doing that and still do.

I took the power steering off my 83 chev pickup to install on my 69 and my Fiance thought the whole time that I had done this before but I hadn't.

So I can't wait to do more work on my truck so my Dad can come and look at it and just the expression on his face is all I need to see. Then I will probably have to fight him to drive my truck after.

Sorry for long post but just had to say it.

[JoetheMobster]

My dad's been gone for a while too.

Always keep tools in my vehicles! Blew a rad hose one day while up in the mountains. Took one sock off of my foot, wrapped it around the hole in the hose, and tied it nice and good. Floored it to the auto parts store, and got a repiar kit.

Got to be creative sometimes!

Another time in an old VW Rabbit a buddy of mine and I got for free (going to use it as a rally car - an excuse to beat the crap out of this old car) the fuel line was buggered! I ripped the sucker off, and took a garden hose, hooked it up under the hood, ran it through the cowl, into the passenger side window, and into the jerry can of diesel, complete with plastic grocery bag to seal jerry can. Worked great! (car didn't last too long though! )

[1969 GMC]

that is a good idea, to buy a cheap set of tools and keep them in the truck. right now, all I have is a box of fuses, a pr of channellocks, and some duct tape. so far (knock on wood) i haven;'t needed more than that.

i really value the bond my father and I share. he is a mechanic by trade, and i have always thought it was cool that he could just about fix any car problem we've ever had. everytime something happens to our cars, i am right there with him helpin out. i got a little taste of rebuilding engines when he rebuilt the 345 in his old International in the garage, and sometime it will be time to do the 350 thats under the GMC's hood. in the near future, i will be completely redoing the brakes on it, and he will be there to show the way. thanks dad

[PanelDeland]

My wife lost a fan belt in Houston.I happened to be there that weekend visiting(we lived at opposite ends of the state for several months).I was in the convenience store and spotted a set of sockets metric and american 1/4 and 3/8.I thought for $10.00 I could save that just changing the belt.
I still have that set but I keep it with my Craftmans and have a $60.00 set in the truck that has screwdrivers and such.The $10.00 set is of much better quality though.

[lukecp]

My dad passed away when i was 15. I'm now 19 and i still miss him and think about him everyday. Since he was gone by the time i got into vehicles, I had to figure out most of what i know by talking to older car guys, my friends, and a large majority of my knowledge came from this board. Most of the lessons i have learned came from screwing something up the first time, then haveing to go back and fix it again the right way.

I installed a in-bed toolbox in my truck this year, and i carry all the tools for a roadside emergency. I have my Craftsman tool set in there, but i proably need to buy a cheap set so i won't be out so much if someone breaks into my box and rips off my tools. I also have a 5000lb floor jack, 4-way lug wrench, jumper cables, all sorts of Permatex gasket makers, wire crimpers, wire, a selection of wire terminals, a hammer, and all the fluids my truck could possibly need. I also have a Haynes manual in there too. I'm ready for just about any road-side emergency my truck could possibly have, and i am able to help someone else that could be stranded along the side of the road. Walking or hitchiking defenitly sucks, and finding a carload of pretty girls that need your expertise to get back on the road are all reasons to carry tools